It begins... the world's first NFT vending machine pops up in New York City
Published on Mar 04, 2022 at 1:23 AM (UTC-5)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Apr 28, 2022 at 7:12 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Alessandro Renesis
The world’s first NFT vending machine – or ATM – has been installed in Manhattan, NYC.
Now you can walk off the street, pick a number, swipe your card and receive a little box, not dissimilar to a pack of cigarettes, and you are the proud owner of a non-fungible token.
Neon, an NFT platform, came up with the idea with crypto curious people in mind, hence why you can buy it with your regular credit or debit card, rather than with crypto.
Each box contains a slip of paper on which you’ll find a QR code that you can scan to claim the NFT you just bought.
Prices range from $5.99 to $420.69 and here’s the kicker, you don’t actually know what kind of NFT you’ve bought until you claim it.
Neon CEO Kyle Zappitell said the element of surprise was part of the allure.
“As an NFT collector, one of the things you love is the randomness of, ‘which one are you going to get?’,” he said.
So what exactly is an NFT? The acronym stands for Non-Fungible Token, and is essentially a unique line of code to which you can attach anything from documents to music – and that’s what NFTs are mostly known for these days – digital art.
NFTs are immutable, they can’t be altered or duplicated, and they rely on blockchain technology.
These NFTs in particular are ‘minted’ (NFT jargon for ‘created’) on the Solana blockchain, which many people appreciate because it’s one of the fastest and cheapest blockchains, and it’s carbon neutral.
Spending $400+ on an NFT is a stretch but if you’re new to the world and driven by curiousity, $5.99 is basically the price of a cup of coffee in NYC so this project has potential to capture a wider market and really take off.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
